Life expectancy in Yemen from 1880 to 2020
In 1880, the average person born in the area of modern day Yemen could expect to live to just over the age of 23, a rate which would remain largely unchanged throughout the end of the 19th and first half of the 20th century (outside of a small dip from the Spanish Flu in the late 1910s). However, life expectancy in Yemen would begin to rise greatly in the 1950s, as Imam Ahmed would open up the country from its isolationist policies, allowing for a significant expansion in economic growth and improvements to healthcare and living standards. Yemen’s growing oil revenues fueled these developments, resulting in life expectancy more than doubling by the end of the century. However, life expectancy would slow and ultimately stagnate in the 21th century, as the Yemeni Civil War would continue to cause significant disruptions in healthcare services and severe famine in the country. As a result, it is estimated in 2020 that the average person born in Yemen can expect to live to just over the age of 66 years old.
